Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day
25 Feb 2026 – BHH 20:00h – Digital Voice Modes by Allister Watson GM7RYR
- See Upcoming Meetings below.
LRS MEETINGS
LRS meetings are normally held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month (except July and August) at 8:00pm at the Braid Hills Hotel, 134 Braid Road, EH10 6JD.
In July and August Pub Nights are held at 7:30pm at Wee Bennet’s Bar at Morningside Station, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. There are also occasional Wee Bennet’s evenings arranged during the main club season.
Most items are archived in Meeting Reports or Society Activities.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
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22 Apr 2026 – BHH 20:00h – Microwave energy generation advances which enabled the development of WW2 airborne radar by Dr Peter Grant, Emeritus Regius Professor of Engineering, University of Edinburgh.
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SESAME – March IET Talk: The Voyager Interstellar Mission – 4th March at 2.00pm Napier University Colinton Campus – Rivers Suite.Launched in 1977, the Voyager 1 & 2 spacecraft continue to send back scientific data despite now being almost 1 light-day from Earth.How has this been done and what of the future?The talk to be given by LRS members, James Gentles GM4WZP (engineer) and Dr John Cooke GM8OTI (scientist), will cover the achievements necessary to maintain this flow of scientific data back to Earth and the scientific discoveries made.You do not have to register but it does help us plan the event. The link to register is given below.
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Wed 25 Feb 2026 – 8pm at BHH – Digital Voice Modes by Allister Watson GM7RYR.
Title: The Digital Shift: How DMR is Changing the Face of Amateur Radio
While traditional FM remains a staple, lowest common denominator mode for radio amateurs, the digital voice modes offer crystal-clear audio, extended battery life, and the ability to talk across the globe using nothing more than the technology you already have in your pocket.
You can of course use a radio and a local repeater or hotspot !
This presentation introduces the various digital “flavours” available to amateur radio operators today, focusing on why DMR has emerged as the clear leader for digital voice.
See and hear how this professional-grade technology has been re-purposed by the amateur community to create a truly global, interconnected radio network.
RECENT MEETINGS
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Wed 11 Feb 2026 – LRS Quiz Night 2026
The LRS Quiz Night 2026 was prepared and organized by Brian Howie… Read more
RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS
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Sun 12 April 2026 – Norbreck (Blackpool) Rally
Pete GM4BYF confirms that parking at the rear of the Norbreck Hotel will be free provided that car owners register on the tablet provided within the convention.
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Saturday 28th March 2026 – 27th ANNUAL GMDX CONVENTION & DINNER
The 27th Annual GMDX Convention & Dinner will be held on Saturday 28th March 2026 at the King Robert Hotel, Stirling, FK7 0LJ.
A link to the Convention Programme is below, along with the booking form. Please use the instructions on the booking form, or visit the GMDX website link below to secure your booking: https://gmdx.org.uk/27th-annual-gmdx-convention-dinner/ It would be very much appreciated if you could book as soon as possible. See you there! Thanks & 73. Gordon, MM0GOR GMDX SecretaryGMDX Convention Programme 27th March 2026 -
Sunday 25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally
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Friday 14th August 2026 18:00 to 21:00 Cockenzie & Port Seton Junk Night, Port Seton Community Centre, South Seton Park Port Seton EH32 0BG
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Sat 31 Oct 2026 – GMRT-2026 at MOC Burntisland & Dinner at Kingswood Hotel
The 2026 Scottish Microwave Round Table (GMRT-2026) will be held as usual at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland, followed by dinner at the nearby Kingswood Hotel.
Looking for a programme organizer for GMRT – contact Colin GM4HWO.
Details will be available nearer the date.
CONTEST CALENDAR
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2026 RSGB Contest Rules published 20 Dec 2025:
2m May contest back to old slot.
70cm and 23cm 24hours again for VHF NFD.
Bonuses rather than multipliers (Post code etc) retained.https://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/rul
es/26rules/frameindex.html Tnx Brian GM4DIJ.
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The LRS operates GM3HAM/P from a great site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway.
5-6 July 2025 – VHF NFD – see report in About LRS – Contest / Portable.
(This photo by Andy MMØFMF / now GM4LLD, is in RSGB RadCom Sept 2025, p.80).
RSGB GB2RS NEWS
Every Sunday morning in the Edinburgh area at 09:30h from LRS member Peter Dick GM4DTH. 70.425MHz FM, 145.525MHz FM & 433.525MHz FM. Then call-in to Peter at 10:00h on 145.575MHz for local net. Several LRS members often there.
RADIO NEWS, SILENT KEYS and FOR SALE / WANTED
Click on image or “read more” to open full article.
Send items to Alan GM3PSP:
webmaster@lothiansradiosociety.com
Items usually archived as News or Silent Keys in LRS Archive after 1 month.
1. RADIO NEWS ITEMS
There are no RADIO NEWS ITEMS. Click on the heading to see the radio news archive.
2. SILENT KEYS
There are no current silent key notifications. Click on the heading to see the silent key archive.
3. ITEMS FOR SALE
There are no current items for sale. Click on the heading to see any archived items.
Lothians Radio Society activities – latest reports
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27 April 2016 – SDR – Software Defined Radio – Kenneth Barlee
Kenneth Barlee, assisted by Dale Atkinson, gave a most interesting talk with demonstrations of SDR – Software Defined Radio
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19 March 2016 – Expedition to Telegraph Hill – Brian GM8BJF & Briain GM8PKL
LRS members Brian Flynn GM8BJF and Briain Wilson GM8PKL made an expedition to Telegraph Hill near St Abbs in Scottish Borders
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6 April 2016 – LRS Spring Surplus Equipment Sale at St Fillan’s
The LRS Spring Surplus Equipment Sale was held on 6th April 2016 at St Fillan’s Church, Buckstone. There was an excellent turn-out of
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23 March 2016 – Communication Quiz – Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL
At the meeting of the LRS on 23rd March, Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL ran the first quiz we have had for a
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9 Mar 2016 – A Programmable Sequencer / Control Unit for 23cm QRO for £20 – Pete Bates GM4BYF
At very short notice, Pete Bates GM4BYF jumped in on Wednesday 9th March to replace the scheduled talk which had
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24 Feb 2016 – 3cm Personal Beacons – Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Photo by Peter GM4DTH At the meeting of the Lothians Radio Society on 24th February 2016 Brian Flynn GM8BJF talked on “3cm Personal Beacons”
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10 Feb 2016 – Repeaters – Crawford Ross GM8HBY & Allister Watson GM7RYR
Crawford GM8HBY & Allister GM7RYR The meeting of the Lothians Radio Society on 10th February 2016 included two talks about repeater facilities
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27 Jan 2016 – Activating Orkney Lighthouses – Geoff Crowley MM5AHO
Our good friend Geoff Crowley MM5AHO returned on 27th January 2016 to talk about his exploits sailing and activating lighthouses
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13 Jan 2016 – Video Night at ECVS – The Use of Bombing in WWII
Thirteen brave souls defied the wet, sleety Wx to get to the first LRS meeting of 2016, the annual Video
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9 Dec 2015 – LRS Christmas Curry
The LRS Christmas Curry was held on 9th December 2015 at the Himalaya Tandoori Restaurant at Bruntsfield with an attendance
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25 Nov 2015 – Practical Cats on 60 metres? – Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL
At the meeting of the LRS on 25th November 2015 Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL talked on “Practical Cats on 60
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11 Nov 2015 – APRS – Automatic Packet Reporting System – Marcus Hazel-McGown MM0ZIF
Marcus Hazel-McGown MM0ZIF was the speaker at the LRS meeting on 11th November 2015. He talked about APRS, the Automatic